KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Jim Leyland called it one of the mostdifficult games he's ever had to manage, tougher than Game 7 ofthe World Series, even though there was nothing at stake for histeam.

There was plenty at stake for his players.

The spotlight Wednesday night was squarely on Miguel Cabrera,who became the first player in 45 years to win the Triple Crown.But there was also pressure on Austin Jackson to hit .300, andon Max Scherzer to show that his sore right shoulder was readyfor the postseason.

Everything worked out perfectly for Leyland, including theoutcome of the game - his AL Central champion Tigers beat KansasCity 1-0 on a double by Jackson in the fifth inning, whichhelped him achieve his own milestone.

"It was just a great night for baseball. It couldn't have workedout better," Leyland said afterward. "It was a weird evening,but everything turned out great."

First and foremost for Cabrera, one of baseball's most completehitters.

He went 0 for 2 with a strikeout before leaving in the fourthinning, and finished with an AL-leading .330 average, 44 homersand 139 RBIs, becoming just the 15th player to win the TripleCrown. The last player to achieve it was Boston's CarlYastrzemski in 1967.

Scherzer wound up pitching four innings for Detroit, which willopen the postseason Saturday at home against Oakland. Thebullpen took over from there, with Luis Marte (1-0) picking upthe win and Luke Putkonen his first career save.

The only run of the game came off the Royals' Luis Mendoza(8-10), though that was hardly relevant on what turned out to bea memorable night in Kansas City.

The crowd at Kauffman Stadium gave Cabrera a standing ovationbefore he flied out in the first inning. He struck out in thefourth inning but remained in the game, allowing Leyland toremove him with two outs to another standing ovation.

Cabrera high-fived his teammates as he descended into theDetroit dugout, and then sheepishly walked to the top step andwaved his helmet, almost as if he'd been playing at home.

"Our fans are great. We've seen that all year," Royals managerNed Yost said. "Our whole team was doing the same thing, givinghim a standing ovation. What he did was amazing."

"Miguel has long been one of the most accomplished hitters inthe game," Selig said, "and this recognition is one that he willbe able to cherish for the rest of his career."

Cabrera's milestone wasn't official until the Yankees pinch hitfor Curtis Granderson in their game against the Boston Red Sox.Granderson had homered twice to reach 43 for the year, tied withthe Rangers' Josh Hamilton and one shy of the Tigers thirdbaseman.

Cabrera finished four points better than the Angles' Mike Trout,his biggest competition for MVP, to win his second straightbatting title. Cabrera was the runaway leader with 139 RBIs.

"When he's over the plate, he can do anything. He's the besthitter in the game," Trout said. "I think his approach, the wayhe battles with two strikes - you leave one pitch over the platethat at-bat and he's going to hit it. He had an unbelievableyear."

The year Yastrzemski won the Triple Crown, he was part ofBoston's "Impossible Dream Team," which won the AL title andreached the World Series for the first time in more than twodecades.

The Hall of Fame outfielder said in a statement, "I am glad that(Cabrera) accomplished this while leading his team to theAmerican League Central title."

Indeed, the Tigers had already wrapped up their division,allowing them to line up their pitchers and rest some of theirregulars for their postseason opener at home against AL Westchampion Oakland, which clinched its division by beating Texasearlier in the day.

Justin Verlander will start for Detroit to begin thebest-of-five series.

Scherzer was not expected to pitch Wednesday after twisting hisright ankle in a celebratory scrum on Monday night. He threwfrom flat ground Tuesday and decided to pitch the regular-seasonfinale, testing out a sore shoulder that caused him to miss hislast start.

The right-hander, who is 16-7 this season, ended up throwing 75pitches in four innings, allowing three hits and walking two.Scherzer also struck out three.

He was gone by the time the Tigers finally coaxed a run across.

Omar Infante led off the fifth inning with a single, swiped apair of bases and then trotted home from third when Jacksondoubled in his final at-bat of the night.

The bullpens shepherded the game to its conclusion, allowing theTigers to finally head into a joyous visiting clubhouse andcelebrate Cabrera's memorable night.

"A quality guy like he is, it couldn't happen to a better guy,"said the Royals' Mike Moustakas. "It's awesome to have a frontseat and watch this. It's great for the game."

NOTES: Yastrzemski had a .326 average with 44 homers and 121RBIs when he won the Triple Crown. ... The Tigers finished theseason 88-74. Kansas City finished 72-90. ... Royals SS AlcidesEscobar stole his career-best 35th base. ... Kansas City willcelebrate the 40th anniversary of Kauffman Stadium when theyplay their home opener next season.

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